Today Essendon tomorrow Fremantle

B: Redman, Ridley, D'Ambrosio

HB: McGrath, Laverde, Hind

C: Merrett, Parish, Cox

HF: Langford, Jones, Stringer

F: Martin, Wright, McDonald-Tipungwuti

FOLL: Draper, Hobbs, Perkins

IC: Caldwell, Weideman, Snelling, Heppell

Reserves

B: Kelly, Stewart, Reid

HB: Lord, Zerk-Thatcher, Hayes

C: Setterfield, Durham, Shiel

HF: Guelfi, Voss, Menzie

F: Wanganeen, Baldwin, J.Davey

FOLL: Bryan, Tsatas, A.Davey

IC: Phillips, McBride, Munkara, Montgomerie

 

In one's darkest moments, we can always close our eyes and think of Essendon's list and generational performance. Thank the maker.  

Edited December 3, 20222 yr by Jjrogan

It hurts to see Weid’s name on an Essendon 🤮 list.

6435 days

If you think this Bombers list can win the flag, then please send $35 to my bank account..

This team is another non-contender for mine, though if you believe the markets (Sportsbet has them at $4.50 to make the finals) they’re pushing into the realms of being a pretender. 

The list is still very young and likely to be inconsistent for a while.  There’s a lot of expectations on the likes of Jones, Perkins, Cox, Tsatas etc to be good very quickly, but we know that if they don’t have the key players around them that expectation might be a little premature. The exemplar here is Sam Weideman and I hope he does well at the Dons (though he’s been injured already in the preseason),  but if you are pinning your hopes for the season on him as your CHF (which is where he looks like starting the season at least) then the rest is kind of predictable.

I think the footy world in general is massively over estimating Essendon – and I base that on a few factors – that may leave me with egg on my face.  I don’t think Brad Scott can do a quick fix with this list  particularly if he’s trying to correct cultural and systemic issues from the previous regime/s… No need to read between the lines as he tries to hose down expectations of what the Bombers can achieve this season.  On 7News he said “we’ve got a lot of work to do in just about every facet of the game” and that they require ‘seasoning’ before they can achieve sustained success.  That’s a pretty blunt assessment of where they’re at and is pretty clear from my point of view that he’s hit the reset button. 

I have a friend who was an U18 state player who knows some ex-AFL players – he gets some good info – most of it from SA.  After last season Zach Merrett was filthy with himself for having signed a new deal with Essendon at the end of 2021 – now I’m not crying in my beer for poor Zach, but it indicates that if one of your better players had considered jumping ship, but was talked out of it and then later regrets re-signing with the club it sort of points in the general direction that as an insider he isn’t that optimistic about their short term prospects… I don’t think Zach would have re-signed if he thought someone was going to hit that button!

Finally Jake (the Fatman) Stringer has come back to start preseason with a certain lack of physical conditioning that has seen him get injured in the preseason again – no surprises here, he signed a nice fat contract after actually showing up and appearing to give a [censored] for half a dozen games before he signed on the dotted line… My point being It’s this sort of attitude that Brad Scott has to address, it takes time and dare I say some of the cultural problems need to be shown the door.  

I know many won’t, but I’m picking the Bombers to finish bottom four. 

Edited February 19, 20232 yr by grazman

G man that analysis of Essendon's chances for season '23 was a good read, articulate, lucid and giving the boys at Mongrel Punt and Zero Hanger a run for their money. Perhaps you should go independent too! 

 

 

PS Your avatar image is a bit of a puzzle? My take some poor bloke is struggling to get his prosthetic leg from under the director's chair in a movie set.

Edited February 19, 20232 yr by Tarax Club

I think Essendon are certainties for bottom 4. It will be interesting to see the Hawks v Bombers round 1 game I'm predicting it to be the battle for the spoon.

On 12/4/2022 at 2:24 AM, WERRIDEE said:

Today Essendon tomorrow Fremantle

B: Redman, Ridley, D'Ambrosio

HB: McGrath, Laverde, Hind

C: Merrett, Parish, Cox

HF: Langford, Jones, Stringer

F: Martin, Wright, McDonald-Tipungwuti

FOLL: Draper, Hobbs, Perkins

IC: Caldwell, Weideman, Snelling, Heppell

Reserves

B: Kelly, Stewart, Reid

HB: Lord, Zerk-Thatcher, Hayes

C: Setterfield, Durham, Shiel

HF: Guelfi, Voss, Menzie

F: Wanganeen, Baldwin, J.Davey

FOLL: Bryan, Tsatas, A.Davey

IC: Phillips, McBride, Munkara, Montgomerie

 

you don’t rate Shiel?

not a star but he makes the 22 imo

17 hours ago, Tarax Club said:

G man that analysis of Essendon's chances for season '23 was a good read, articulate, lucid and giving the boys at Mongrel Punt and Zero Hanger a run for their money. Perhaps you should go independent too! 

 

 

PS Your avatar image is a bit of a puzzle? My take some poor bloke is struggling to get his prosthetic leg from under the director's chair in a movie set.

Agree TC I am really enjoying your articles Grazman and looking forward to many more to come.!!

On 12/4/2022 at 4:21 PM, BDA said:

6435 days

You can add another 180 days to that total. With the Weed as a focal point EssenDun arent heading North.

I just hope they keep staying down for a long long time and may they have many years of hell and non success especially with Brad there. 

One of the worst Essendon sides I've seen in years. They look bang average

On 2/19/2023 at 3:52 PM, Tarax Club said:

PS Your avatar image is a bit of a puzzle? My take some poor bloke is struggling to get his prosthetic leg from under the director's chair in a movie set.

It’s this album cover…

only it’s an office worker cutting sick, channelling his inner Joe Strummer, I think. 

8 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

It’s this album cover…

only it’s an office worker cutting sick, channelling his inner Joe Strummer, I think. 

Yep,   the album cover is a classic:

"The album's front cover features a photograph of bassist Paul Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass (now on display at the Museum of London, formerly Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) against the stage at the Palladium in New York City on 20 September 1979."

The avatar is actually a painting by Banksy - it channels two of my favourite anti-establishment artists. 

On 12/4/2022 at 4:34 PM, layzie said:

If you think this Bombers list can win the flag, then please send $35 to my bank account..

Surely you do not want to be a $ Billionaire that way and so easily..... Just sayin....

1 minute ago, David-Demon said:

Surely you do not want to be a $ Billionaire that way and so easily..... Just sayin....

Yeah that's true, where's the 'grit' in that success story!

On 12/4/2022 at 2:24 AM, WERRIDEE said:

Today Essendon tomorrow Fremantle

B: Redman, Ridley, D'Ambrosio

HB: McGrath, Laverde, Zerk-Thatcher

C: Merrett, Parish, Cox

HF: Langford, Jones, Stringer

F: Martin, Wright, A.Davey

FOLL: Draper, Hobbs, Perkins

IC: Caldwell, Weideman, Sheil, Heppell

Reserves

B: Kelly, Stewart, Reid

HB: Lord, Hayes, Hind

C: Setterfield, Durham, Snelling

HF: Guelfi, Voss, Menzie

F: Wanganeen, Baldwin, J.Davey

FOLL: Phillips, Tsatas, A.Davey

IC: Bryan, McBride, Munkara, Montgomerie

 

Revised best 44 for Essendon